It's fine, I got you Nell
by nelliskinkyinbed
Summary: It's in the way she calmly sits down beside you without a greeting, how her fingers nervously rake over her leggings, and how she braces her hands on the arm rest as she pushes herself in. She has been crying. Eric's P.O.V


You know she is upset the moment she walks into ops. You don't even have to glance her way to know it's bad. It was all in the way she calmly sits down beside you without a greeting, how her fingers nervously rake over her leggings, and how she braces her hands on the armrest as she pushes herself in. She has been crying.

You know how much Nell hates crying, and she hates it more in public, so this must be bad. You're not sure how to act, or if to act at all. You shuffle your feet against the floor in the now awkward silence and hope that she doesn't feel the tension as well.

You decide to play it out like a normal day; you blow out a heated breath and begin. "So, today's pretty quiet, Hetty hasn't informed me on any case yet." This time you look towards her and try not to let on that you've seen her puffy eyes. It's harder to see in the darkness of ops though.

She just nods along and looks down to her knees where her hands are now balled up. "I think, I'm just gonna' go down and use the bathroom. Excuse me" Her voice is smaller than ever and it breaks your heart to see her like this. You mumble something back that tells her you are aware of what she had said.

When she hasn't come back in half an hour you begin to worry about her. You know she's still in the building but that doesn't lessen your anxiety because it just means she's still upset and you can be there for her if you chose.

You do chose.

You push your chair out and don't bother placing it back before you leave. As you make your way down stairs you cast your gaze to the bullpen below _(just to see if your worries were unneeded)_. Kensi and Deeks are talking to each other before they notice you. But once they do they quickly make their way for you with concerned expressions. Kensi approaches you first and places a hand on your shoulder.

"What's up with Nell?" She questions "She ran through here towards the bathroom, I tried to open the door but she locked herself in."

_(There was a good reason to worry) _You tell them you're aware of how Nell is and that you're going to see to her now. The both of them nod to you before you rush off. You hurry through the basketball court and over to the woman's bathroom door. Like Kensi had told you it's locked. Your worry turns to fear as you know nothing of what she could be doing in there. Your knuckles softly knock against the wood and you tip your head against the door.

You say her name. You say her name again. No response.

This time when you say her name and you ask her what's wrong. You ask her what's wrong again. Still no response.

You say her name, ask her what's wrong, and ask her to let you in. You say her name, and ask her to let you in. Still silence.

You tell her you're not leaving until she opens the door. You know very well there are easier ways to open this door but you want her to trust you so you push away those ideas.

This time she answers back, but it's not the answer you wanted and it does nothing to calm your fear.

"Well, I'm not opening this door until you leave" her words are almost scornful, like you are in the wrong. It angers you for a moment before you remember what state she's in.

You repeat her name again, this time you say it softer, to show her you're not going to fight with her. But you're interrupted with an apology. She tells you she does not mean it and that it was uncalled for. She seems to be in such a big mess that she just wants to push everything and everyone else away.

"It's fine" you tell her. "Maybe I could help you though, let me in, I just want to see you... and know that you're okay first, then we'll sort you out" you tell her, trying to coax her into opening the door.

It works.

Only a little at first though. She opens it a crack, just enough for her to see you. You give her a warm smile in return but you're still worried for her. The small crease turns into a gap big enough for her arm to get through, and it does. Her arm snakes out and clasps onto your hand, pulling you in. Like she's afraid others might try coming in.

As soon as you're in you fall back against the door and she locks it. You're not quite sure what to do, until she stares back at you with a frightened, hazel stare, her small figure shaking and her cheeks stained with tears and tiny trails of mascara.

You _(hope you) _know exactly what to do.

You reach for her with both arms to envelope around her and pull her towards you. You're not sure if your actions were right but they did feel instinctive.

She doesn't move for a moment and you're scared you have done something wrong. That is until she buries her head into your chest. You tighten your grip around her and press your nose into the side of her head.

You rock her gently as she sobs, making your favorite shirt damp but you don't care about that now, this shirt could be made of gold for all you cared. You just want to know why Nell is so upset, and stop it.

When the rush of tears grow larger her grip on the front of your shirt tightens.

You begin to sink towards the ground. Your arms still around her, leaning against the door. You whisper things in her ear like-

"It's okay, I got you."

"Don't cry, Please Nell, don't cry."

"Shh, shh, it's okay, I'm here for you."

They seem to work as well because all that is coming from her now are small whimpers against her own tightened fists. She bites her knuckle when she feels like another wave was coming.

You rub her back reassuringly. You still want to know what or who has her this upset that she feels the need to lock herself away.

She's sitting on your outstretched legs, curled up in a ball, loud and tired breaths leaving her body in uneven timings as she tries to calm herself. Her body will tense anytime she's about to cry again, you take that as a signal to assure her again and bring her close

You've been here for an hour now. Curling her hair behind her ear anytime one piece escapes the rest when she turns her head. You've also learned that it stops her stressing.

You're pretty sure she's sleeping now. Her breaths aren't as quick and they don't catch in her throat.

You don't want to admit it because it would sound wrong. But you enjoy this. You enjoy being here for her. Knowing that you're the one she turns to when in need.

It's at this time you realize you have never gotten a proper, close up look at her face. While she's still sleeping you tilt her head upwards with your finger under her chin.

You want to run at the sight. But you want to be sure of what you would be running from. Your thumb moves to the side of her right eye and you press gently to wipe away the makeup and reveal a deeper green discoloration.

You know bruises; this one is at least five days old.

This time you wipe the cover up from her jaw to reveal more of the reason she's crying today. It's a big, purple, swollen reason.

It's still sensitive. You touching the area disrupts her rest and her eyes open.

You breathe out her name so softly that even though you're both in a close proximity of each other you wonder if she could hear you.

You want to yell, you want to know why someone would do this, you want to know who did this and you want to know where they are. You feel so much hatred toward the person who did this; you know that if they were here you wouldn't shy from giving them a taste of their own medicine.

"Oh Nell" and you know she can hear this time. Her eyes turn glassy and she quivers. She seems so small in your arms, so fragile and looking as if she could break if you said something wrong. "Who did this Nell?"

She shakes her head and shuts her eyes.

"Nell, who hurt you?"

She continues to remain silent and you can't fathom why she wouldn't want this to end. You tell her you can help but she continues to block you out. You then result in telling her that you'll tell the team if she won't tell you.

"I'm trying to help you Nell, but if you won't tell me I can't. I don't want to see you like this and you obviously don't want it either."

Without waiting for her answer you push both yourself and her up. She is still shaking and it only makes you want to hold her more. As you go to the door she stiffens and keeps in one place.

She doesn't want to go back out there. She tells you that she doesn't want people to judge her. She doesn't want people to think that she's weak.

You scorn her for thinking like that and she practically jumps back in fear.

Whoever made Nell like this will pay.

You hold her again as she lets out what will hopefully be the last of her tears. She quietly say's sorry for staining your shirt with tears and makeup. You don't mind though, you tell her it wasn't your favorite anyways.

_(This next part surprises you)_As she lets you clean and dry her cheeks gently with a paper towel you tell her no one will judge her, that she is strong and that it will end, she won't be hurt anymore.

She leans into you as you finally get her out the door. She clings to your arm like a small child and keeps her head down as you guide her through the mission.

Kensi is instantly on Nell's other side as you get to the bullpen. The guys question you and you tell them all about Nell's bruises. You hear Kensi gasp as she lifts Nell's head. You see all the guy's first clench and jaws tighten as you tell them you think Nell is being beaten.

Kensi promises to stay with Nell because she knows the guys won't waste any time tracking whatever sick bastard did these things to her. Kensi manages to get an address of a bar from Nell after promising her that thing would get better and that she has to tell them if she wants it to stop.

When you turn to leave with the rest of the guys Nell hasn't let go of your arm. Kensi has to pull her away to get some coffee before you can get away. But you don't want to leave her, but you also don't want this son of a bitch to think he can get away with what he's done.

You tell her you'll be back and she nods slowly before Kensi takes her away.

You spot him in the corner of the bar, he's chatting up a blonde woman in a high skirt. Callen, Sam and Deeks go for him first. They take him by the shirt and drag him out into the alley outside the bar.

They throw him against the wall and he hits the ground with a thud before Deeks pulls him up again. He yells at all of you, asking what the big deal is.

"You know a girl called Nell Jones?" Sam asks, narrowing his eyes.

A smirk grows on the man's face as he takes in what the older SEAL said "Yeah, the one that won't put out" he spits the words "Just a word for you, don't bother with her, after the fight the reward isn't good, if you know what I mean."

The next thing you know your first collides with his face and Deeks lets him fall to the ground with impact. But you don't stop there you continue with the punches, most of them to his face. But he doesn't take it either and he gets in a few in as well. It's not until you're being dragged backward by Callen that you stop. But with one final kick you get him where it counts and none of guys stop you from it.

"You stay away from Nell" you yell at him as you wipe your lip free of blood.

Callen kicks him in the side as he rolls on the ground, curing at you all. You take that as your cue to leave

You get back to the mission in record time; you need to tell Nell that he won't bother her anymore. When she sees you she looks terrified by the cut lip and bleeding nose. Kensi has her arm around her in a reassuring way. You look to Hetty's office and she standing there with her arms crossed and a placid face. But, you swear you see the tiniest bit of pride as she nods and turns away.

You give Nell a smile that tells her not to worry about it, but her expression doesn't change. Her bruises are covered up again, you figure Kensi helped her with that.

When you reach the desk to tell the agent you can take Nell now.

"What happened?"

"He won't come near you again, we made sure of that."

"What, did the other guys get punched as well?" this time she meets your eyes and there is a sort of pity smile.

"No, that was just me" you copied her expression. "But I think I broke his nose and busted his jaw, so some good came out of it."

She looks surprise but nods "Well, thank you."

"You should have come to me first; you should have gone to someone. Why'd did you let it go this far?"

She looks back to her hands and shakes her head "I don't know, I wasn't thinking and by the time I realized, I was trapped" her words become hurried as she tries to explain.

"Hey, hey, it's fine, I'm not blaming you" you rest your hand on hers and you assure her. "But you're safe now; he won't get to you anymore."

She looks back to you and moves forwards and her arms go around you once more. "Thank you, Eric."

Your chin sits on her head and your hands are placed on her on her back "It's fine, I got you Nell." You lightly kiss the side of her head and rub her back.

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**thank you for reading, reviews would be nice :)**


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